Tag: Scotland

The Scottish government has begun a 14-week public consultation, running from 2 September to 9 December, on the question of legalizing marriage for gay couples, encouraging individuals and groups such as religious organizations to take part.

The government has said it would like to hear from religious groups and ordinary people, and has indicated religious organizations will have freedom of choice in deciding whether to officiate at gay weddings.

The move drew a frosty response from the main Gaelic church in the Western Isles.

Rev Iver Martin, the minister of Stornoway Free Church, said: “I wouldn’t have thought there would be much of a market for this. I’m not sure that a lot of Gaelic-speaking people would be inclined to read it. Of course, Muslims have the freedom to do what they want, but it’s worth pointing out that in many Muslim countries, Christians do not have the freedom to freely read the Bible.”